Method of manufacturing woven metal articles of furniture



Dec. 28, 1965 J. H. WOODARD 3,225,431

HOD OF MANUFACTURING WOVEN METAL ARTICLES 0F FURNITURE Filed July 22, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Kg. .1 Y

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33 Fig 5 30 INVENTOR. 2/ 3/ Joseph b. H oodara VL/(L/ 4/ 1'4 4m BY ATTORNEYS Dec. 28, 1965 J. H. WQODARD 3,225,431

METHOD OF MANUFACTURING WOVEN METAL ARTICLES OF FURNITURE Filed July 22, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 S U/I M Woodard Dec. 28, 1965 J. H. WOODARD 3,225,431

METHOD OF MANUFACTURING WOVEN METAL ARTICLES OF FURNITURE Filed July 22, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 .z 'zyenfar dose ob b. lI ooaard United States Patent 3 225,431 METHOD OF MANUFACTURING WOVEN METAL ARTICLES 015 FURNITURE Joseph H. Woodard, Owosso, Mich, assignor to Woodard Manufacturing Company, Owosso, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Filed July 22, 1964, Ser. No. 384,483 14 Claims. ((31. 29-419) This invention generally relates to a method of making woven metal articles and more particularly relates a method of making expanded woven metal articles of furniture and the like.

This invention is concerned with making various types of decorative and functional woven metal articles such as metal table tops, chairs and various furniture accessories. The furniture is manufactured such that it provides an open woven pattern wherein the woven strands of the pattern are swirled or arcuate and form a plurality of apertures therebetween that are of various sizes and which are formed by arcuate walls.

Unlike rattan, wire and cables are relatively diflicult to weave into chairs, tables and other pieces of woven metal furniture. The present invention not only provides an effective method of manufacturing woven metal furniture but also provides a woven metal piece of furniture having arcuate woven structure.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved method of manufacturing expanded woven metal articles.

It is still further another object of the present invention to provide a method of manufacturing expanded woven metal furniture from flexible metal wire tubular braids.

It is still further another object to provide a method of manufacturing expanded flexible metal open braided furniture by first expanding one end of a flexible metal tubular braid into a relatively open position and then fastening the junctions of adjacent braided strands at the tubular braid one end and then expanding said tubular braid one end to a desired diameter and then shaping the expanded metal tubular braid to the shape of the desired piece of furniture.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved method of manufacturing expanded metal open braided articles by first expanding one end of a flexible metal tubular braid, welding adjacent overlapping strands at said tubular braid one end, increasing the diameter of tubular braid one end, attaching means to the tubular braid one end to maintain the increased diameter thereof, attaching means to the other end of the tubular braid to maintain the radius thereof, and then shaping the expanded metal tubular braid into a flat annular table top or into any other desired furniture shape.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art after a careful consideration of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to like and corresponding parts.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a partial elevational view of a flexible metal tubular braid utilized to construct the articles of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a partial longitudinal cross-sectional view with parts in elevation illustrating a step in the manufacture of an article in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view with parts in elevation illustrating another step in the manu- Patented Dec. 28, 1965 ice facture of flexible metal wire articles in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIGURE 4 is a partial elevational view illustrating a prefinished article constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIGURE 5 is a partial longitudinal cross-sectional View with parts in elevation illustrating another step in the manufacture of a woven metal article in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIGURE 6 is a partial longitudinal cross-sectional view with parts in elevation illustrating another step in the manufacture of a Woven metal article in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIGURE 7 is a top view illustrating a woven metal article constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention; and

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of another woven metal article constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

As shown in the drawings:

The present invention provides a method of manufacturing metal wire braided articles from a flexible metal wire tubular braid made from a plurality of wire strands which are woven or braided around a suitable mandrel. The strands of wire are either tightly woven or loosely woven around the mandrel to provide either of closed tubular braid or an open tubular braid. The tubular braid must first have at one end thereof, the overlapping end junctions of the woven wire strands attached or welded together to prevent the tubular braid from unweaving during the subsequent expanding process. When an open tubular braid is used the wire strand junction ends are preferably welded prior to subjecting the tubular braid to the expanding apparatus. However, in the case of a tight woven metal wire tubular braid, the diameter of one end thereof is increased over a conical shaping mandrel until the tight weave thereof is opened. Then, the overlapping end junctions of the tubular braid woven strands are welded or permanently attached together. Thus, the diameter of the tubular braid one end may be further increased without separating the overlapping Woven wire strands thereof.

The tubular braid attached junction end diameter is further increased a predetermined amount by continuously urging the tubular braid over the conical shaping mandrel. When the predetermined diameter of the tubular braid attached junction end is reached, a metal ring is attached or welded thereto to prevent further expansion thereof. The other end of the tubular braid has the diameter thereof fixed by suitable means to prevent the expansion thereof, such as twisting, a weld ring, or a clamp. The other end of the tubular braid may be formed by cutting an endless or long tubular braid into predetermined lengths prior to the expanding operation or cutting the endless or long tubular braid after the metal ring is attached to the predetermined expanded diameter attached strand junction tubular braid end.

The weld ring and tubular braid other end are at a point spaced a predetermined axial distance from the tubular braid expanded one end and is preferably concentric therewith to provide-a concave frusto-conical woven wire article. The frust0-conical wire article has a small diameter frusto-apex formed by the tubular braid other end, a base formed by the tubular braid one end metal ring, and a plurality of concave arcuate open woven strands interconnecting the frusto-apex and base ends and defining a plurality of arcuate apertures of various sizes. Both ends of the concave tubular braid are finished to provide a concave woven metal wire article, with an outer concaving surface that may be utilized as the base for various pieces of furniture such as a chair, a

table, or it may be subsequently contoured into a chair seat and the like or utilized as an intermediate for manufacturing various other pieces of woven metal wire furniture.

The frusto-conical concave tubular braid may be further modified by attaching a second metal ring or contact surface means around the frusto-apex end thereof prior to or after permanently fixing said other end by the weld rim or the like and then sliding the concave tubular braid over a cylindrical die shaft, perpendicularly projecting from a base support, with the expanded metal ring end thereof in contact with the base support. A cylindrical tubular plunger or piston contacts a second metal ring placed around the frusto-apex end of the concave tubular braid and is activated to urge the tubular braid second ring end downwardly towards the tubular braid base support until it is in substantially the same plane as the base support. This action of the frustoconical tubular braid reorientates the woven wire strands such that, when the plunger is removed, a relatively flat annular woven wire article is formed having arcuate open weave wire strands extending between the inner and outer metal rings. The annular woven wire article may be utilized as a table top or may be subsequently contoured into other furniture articles such as a contoured seat member. In this instance, the contoured seat member and the tubular concave base may be combined to form a complete contour woven wire chair.

Referring to FIGURE 1, there is illustrated an elongated flexible metal wire tubular braid having an open end 11. The tubular braid 10 which may be formed from any type of wire strands 12 and 12a which are woven into the tubular braid 10. The type of wire strands may be beamed or parallel wire in which a number of wires are contained in a single group; Keystone braid wherein each end, corresponding to a group of parallel wires, consist of a single fiat wire; or braided braid wherein individual wires are first braided into a fiat braid and the fiat braid then woven into the tubular form; or any other type of suitable wire. The wire may be any suitable material such as steel, copper and its alloys, monel, aluminum, nickel, brass, and any other suitable wire material.

The elongated metal wire tubular braid 10 is formed by weaving the various types of wire strands on a carrier bobbin preferably utilizing a plain weave, otherwise denoted as the two under two over weave, or a diamond weave, otherwise denoted as the one under one over weave and which is shown in FIGURE 1. Of course, if desired, other types of weaves may be used.

The tubular wire braids may be either tightly woven or loosely woven with the wire strands 12 being directed clockwise towards the end 11 and the wire strands 12a being directed counterclockwise towards the end 11.

The tubular wire braid 10 has woven wire strand end junctions 18 adjacent the end 11 which must be permanently attached together by spot welding or other suitable means. The spot Welding of the end junctions allows the diameter of the tubular braid to be increased without unweaving or separating the woven wire strands 12 and 12a. In the case of an open weave tubular braid, the end junctions 18 may be spot welded prior to any shaping operation which will be described hereinafter in greater detail.

Referring to FIGURES 2-3, there is provided a 45 shaping cone or conical mandrel 13 having its base 14 attached to a table support 16. The shaping cone 13 is used to shape the tubular braid 10 and also, to initially expand the end 11 of a tight woven tubular braid to permit spot welding of the tubular braid end junctions 18. As illustrated in FIGURE 2, the tight diamond weave metal wire tubular braid 10 has one of its ends 11 urged downwardly over the 45 cone apex 16 towards the cone base 14 or the support means 16. The diameter of the end 11 is increased until the alternating woven-strands 12 and 12a adjacent the end 11 are spread to open the tight diamond weave pattern thereof, as indicated generally by 15. Then the overlapping end junctions 18 of the alternating wire strands 12 and 12a are spot welded or suitably permanently attached adjacent their respective ends 17 and 17a.

The tubular braid spot welded junction end 11 is then urged downwardly over the conical mandrel 13 towards the support 16. The diameter of the junction end 11 is continuously increased by the mandrel 13 and it contacts the support 16 and is further expanded and spread therealong until it reaches a predetermined diameter, as indicated by 19 in FIGURE 3, and the tubular braid wire strands 12 and 12a are reorientated respectively into concave arcuate wire strands 2S and 25a. When the tubular braid expanded diameter end 19 is reached, a metal ring 21 is welded to the periphery of the tubular braid outer surface interconnecting the spot welded end junctions 18 of the concave arcuate wire strands 25 and 25a. The metal ring 21 prevents further expansion of the expanded diameter end 11. Then a predetermined length of the tubular braid is formed by attaching the strands 25 and 25a adjacent the other end thereof to prevent them from unweaving. This may be accomplished by first twisting the tubular braid a predetermined axial distance away from the expanded diameter end metal ring 21, and then cutting the tubular braid to form a twisted frusto-apex end 22. Also, this may be accomplished by forming a weld ring around the outer periphery of the tubular braid adjacent its desired other end and then cutting the tubular braid axially outwardly therefrom to form a concave frusto-conical open weave metal wire tubular braid 23.

Referring to FIGURE 4, the concave frusto-conical metal wire tubular braid 23 has its large cylindrical base end formed by the metal ring 21 and its frusto-apex formed by the twisted end 22 which is spaced concentrically and axially away from the metal ring end 21. The outer surface of the concave tubular braid 23 is formed by wire strands 12 and 12a which were reorientated such that they concave from the smal apex end 22 to the metal ring end 21 and the strands 25 and 25a arcuately extend between the ends 21 and 22 such that their pitch progressively increases from the apex end 22 to the enlarged diameter ring base 21. The strands 25 and 25a are curved in the opposite directions such that the arcuate open diamond weave strands 25 and 25a form therebetween a plurality of various sized diamond apertures 24 having arcuate side walls 26 and hereinafter being referred to as arcuate diamond apertures.

The ends 21 and 22 of the concave tubular braid 23 are then finished to provide a cylindrical frusto-apex open end with suitable means, weld ring 27, around the outer circumference thereof to prevent the frusto-apex end from unweaving. The finished concave tubular braid 25 (FIG- URE 5) then may be used as a furniture base for a table, a chair, or other similar articles or, if desired, the concave tubular braid 23 may be reshaped to form another piece of furniture.

Referring to FIGURES 5-10, the finished concave tubular braid 23 may be further modified to form other pieces of metal wire braid furniture. The finished concave tubular braid 23 has a cylindrical open apex end 28 concentric with the large diameter metal ring end 21. A frusto-apex metal ring 29 having a predetermined diameter smaller than the large base metal ring 21 is placed around the weld ring 27 to suitably connect it to the unexpanded frusto-apex end of the concave tubular braid 23. Then the concave tubular braid 23 is slid over a cylindrical mandrel 30 extending perpendicularly from a suitable flat table support 31 with its base metal ring end 21 in contact with the table support 31 and the inner walls of its upper cylindrical portion in slidable contact with the mandrel 30.

A press (not shown) is mounted above the table support 31 and has a tubular plunger or piston 32 having an annular end 34. The tubular plunger 32 has an inner cylindrical diameter 33 slightly larger than the outer diameter of the braid cylindrical frusto-apex end 22 to slidably fit thereover and smaller than the outer diameter of the frusto-apex ring 29. The piston 32 is slid over the mandrel 30 with its annular end 34 engaging the frustoapex metal ring 29. Then the plunger is urged downwardly along the mandrel 30 to continuously reorientate the concave tubular braid wire strands 25 and 25a until the ring 29 is adjacent the support 31 (FIGURE 6) and in substantially the same plane as the base metal ring 21. The plunger is held in this position for a predetermined amount of time and then removed from engagement with the ring 29 and the excess cylindrical portion 36 extending outwardly from the ring 29 is trimmed oif. Due to the positive force placed on the ring 29, the concave tubular braid wire strands 25 and 25a are respectively reorientated to arcuate wire strands 35 and 35a to form a relatively flat metal wire annular braid 37 The flat annular braid 37 has an outer diameter ring 21 and an inner diameter ring 29 having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the outer metal ring 21 and being substantially concentrically on the same plane therewith. The outer metal ring 21 and the inner metal ring 29 are interconnected by the plurality of woven arcuate metal wire strands 35 and 35a. The arcuate wire strands 35 turn in a clockwise direction and the arcuate wire strands 35a turn in a counterclockwise direction from the outer metal ring 21 to the inner metal ring 29. The weave of the annular braid 37 is an open diaattached to the concave tubular braid 23 and is not affixed to the wire strands until after the piston 32 slides it into substantially the same plane as the base metal ring 21 because the former operation tends to compress the concave tubular braid wire strands to form the annular braid 37 while the latter operation tends to extend the concave tubular braid wire strands to form the annular braid 37.

Of course, it is understood that the inner metal ring may be affixed to the concave tubular braid 23 any time prior to it being placed in substantially the same plane as the base metal ring 21. The metal annular braid 37 may be utilized as a table top or for other purposes wherein a relatively fiat piece is used, such as a back rest for a chair and the like.

Further, if it is desired, the annular relatively fiat metal wire arcuate open diamond Weave 37 may be shaped such that it forms a contoured combination seat and back-rest 38 for a chair 39 (FIGURE 8). The combination seat and back-rest 38 has an outer perimeter ring 41 formed from the annular braid ring 21 and an inner perimeter ring 29. The annular braid strands 35 and 35a are reorientated to form respective arcuate open woven wire strands 42 and 42a extending between the outer perimeter ring 41 and the inner perimeter ring 20. The open weave arcuate strands 42 and 42a form therebetween a plurality of various sized arcuate diamond apertures 43. The combination chair seat and back-rest 38 is welded at its inner perimeter ring 29 to the apex 28 of a finished concave frusto-conical tubular braid 23 to form the chair 39.

Therefore, it is seen Where I have provided novel woven wire furniture and a novel method for manufacturing the same.

It is of course understood that the above embodiments of my invention are for illustrative purposes only and further embodiments may be effected without departing .from the spirit and scope of my invention and it is to be understood that I intend that this invention be limited only by the scope of the hereunto appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A method of manufacturing woven articles from a tubular braid having woven strands comprising,

attaching together at one end of the tubular braid overlapping end junctions of the tubular braid woven strands,

increasing the tubular braid at one end to a predetermined increased diameter,

forming a plurality of apertures of various sizes between said woven strands,

attaching a ring to the tubular braid increased diameter end to fix the dimensions of said increased diameter end,

fixing the dimensions of the tubular braid at the other end, and

forming a concave frusto-conical open tubular braid having large base formed by the tubular braid increased diameter one end, a small diameter frustoapex formed by the tubular braid other end,

and an apertured woven strand tubular concave surface interconnecting the base and apex end.

2. A method of manufacturing woven articles from a tubular braid having woven strands comprising,

permanently attaching together at one end of the tubular braid overlapping end junctions of the woven strands to prevent separation thereof, increasing the diameter of the tubular braid at one end to a predetermined increased diameter and forming an open arcuate weave with said strands,

permanently fixing the increased diameter of the tubular braid one end,

fixing the dimensions of the tubular braid at the other end, and forming a concave frusto-conical arcuate open tubular braid having a small diameter frusto-apex end, a large diameter base end, and a tubular concave surface of open weave arcuate strands interconnecting the apex and base. 3. A method of manufacturing woven articles from a tubular braid having woven strands comprising,

attaching together at one end of the tubular braid overlapping end junctions of the woven strands to prevent separation thereof, urging the attached junction at one end of the tubular braid over the end of a shaping member, continuously urging the tubular braid over the shaping member and increasing the internal diameter of the tubular braid and increasing the diameter of the tubular braid attached junction at one end to a predetermined increased diameter, reorientating the woven strand and forming an arcuate open weave therewith, afiixing a ring to the tubular braid increased diameter end to fix the dimensions thereof, fixing the dimensions of the tubular braid at the other end, and

forming a concave frustoconical arcuate open tubular braid having a small diameter frusto-apex end, a large diameter base end and a tubular concave surface of open woven arcuate strands interconnecting the frusto-apex end and the base end.

4. A method of manufacturing arcuate woven metal furniture from a tubular braid having woven metal strands comprising,

attaching together at one end of the tubular braid overlapping end junctions of the woven metal strands to prevent separation thereof,

increasing the diameter of the tubular braid at one end to a predetermined increased diameter,

reorientating the woven metal strands and forming an arcuate open weave therewith,

welding a metal ring to the tubular braid increased diameter end to fix the dimensions thereof,

fixing the dimensions of the tubular braid at the other end, and

forming a concave frusto-conical arcuate open tubular braid having a small diameter frusto-apex end, a large diameter base end, and a tubular concave surface of open woven arcuate strands interconnecting the frusto-apex end and the base end.

5. A method of manufacturing arcuate woven metal wire strand furniture from a cylindrical closed weave metal tubular braid comprising,

urging one end of the cylindrical metal tubular braid over a conical shaping member,

expanding the weave adjacent the one end of said metal tubular wire braid to open the adjacent woven wire strands,

welding overlapping end junctions of the woven Wire strands at one end of the tubular braid to prevent separation thereof,

continuously urging the metal tubular braid over the conical shaping member and increasing the diameter of the tubular braid one end to a predetermined increased diameter,

reorientating the woven strands to form arcuate open diamond. weave therewith and forming a plurality of arcuate diamond shaped apertures of various sizes between said arcuate woven strands,

welding a ring around the periphery of the tubular braid increased diameter end to fix the dimensions thereof,

fixing the dimensions of the tubular braid other end,

and forming a concave frusto-conical arcuate open tubular braid furniture base having a small diameter frusto-apex end, a large diameter base end, and a tubular concave surface of open woven arcuate strands interconnecting the frusto-apex end and the base end.

6. A method of manufacturing woven articles from a tubular braid having woven strands comprising,

attaching together at one end of the tubular braid overlapping end junctions of the woven wire strands, increasing the diameter of the tubular braid one end to a predetermined increased diameter, and forming a plurality of first apertures of various sizes between said woven strands,

permanently fixing the increased diameter of the tubular braid one end,

forming a concave frusto-conical open weave tubular braid having a small diameter frusto-apex end, a large diameter base end, and a tubular concave surface of open woven strands interconnecting the frusto-apex end and the base end,

moving the concave braid frusto-apex and base ends towards each other, and

reorientating the woven strands and forming an article having open arcuate woven strands defining a plurality of arcuate apertures of various sizes therebetween.

7. A method of manufacturing woven articles from a tubular braid having woven strands comprising,

attaching together at one end of the tubular braid overlapping end junctions of the woven strands to prevent separation thereof,

urging the attached junction one end of the tubular braid over a shaping member,

continuously urging the metal tubular braid over the conical shaping member and increasing the diameter of the tubular braid one end to a predetermined increased diameter,

reorientating the woven strands to form a first arcuate open weave therewith,

permanently afiixing the increased diameter of the tubular braid one end,

forming a concave frusto-conical arcuate open weave tubular braid having a small diameter frusto apex end, a large diameter base end, and a tubular concave surface of open woven arcuate strands interconnecting the frusto-apex end and the base end,

removing the concave tubular braid from the shaping member,

moving the concave tubular braid frusto-apex end and the base end towards each other until they are approximately in the same plane, and

reorientating the first arcuate woven strands of the concave tubular braid to form a relatively fiat annular article having open arcuate woven strands defining therebetween a plurality of second arcuate diamond apertures of various sizes.

8. A method of manufacturing Woven articles from a tubular braid having closed woven strands comprising, urging one end of the tubular braid over a conical shaping member,

expanding the weave adjacent the one end of said tubular braid to open the adjacent woven wire strands,

permanently attaching together at one end of the tubular braid overlapping end junctions of the woven strands to prevent separation thereof, continuously urging the tubular braid over the conical shaping member and increasing the diameter of the tubular braid one end to a predetermined increased diameter,

reorientating the woven strands to form a first arcuate open weave with said woven strands,

permanently affixing the increased diameter of the tubular braid increase diameter end to fix the dimensions thereof,

forming a concave frusto-conical arcuate open tubular braid having a small diameter frusto-apex end, a large diameter base end, and a tubular concave surface of open woven arcuate strands interconnecting the frusto-apex end and the base end,

removing the concave tubular braid from the shaping member,

moving the concave braid frusto-apex and base ends towards each other until the apex and base ends are substantially in the same plane, and

reorientating the arcuate woven strands of the concave tubular braid and forming a relatively flat annular braid having open arcuate woven strands defining therebetween a plurality of second arcuate apertures of various sizes.

9. A method of manufacturing arcuate woven metal wire strand articles from a metal tubular braid having woven wire strands comprising,

permanently attaching together at one end of the tubular braid overlapping end junctions of the woven wire strands to prevent separation thereof,

increasing the diameter of the tubular braid one end to a predetermined increased diameter,

reorientating the woven strands to form a first arcuate open weave with said metal wire strands,

Welding the periphery of the tubular braid increased diameter end to fix the dimensions thereof of said increased diameter end,

forming a concave frusto-conical arcuate open tubular braid having a small diameter frusto-apex end, a large diameter base end, and a tubular concave surface of open woven arcuate strands interconnecting the frusto-apex end and the base end,

moving the concave tubular braid frusto-apex and base ends towards each other until the apex and base ends thereof are approximately in the same plane, and

reorientating the arcuate woven wire strands of the concave tubular braid and forming a relatively flat annular braid having open arcuate woven metal wire strands defining therebetween a plurality of second arcuate apertures of various sizes.

10. A method of manufacturing arcuate woven metal wire strand articles from a tubular braid having woven wire strands comprising,

attaching together at one end of the tubular braid overlapping end junctions of the woven wire strands to prevent separation thereof,

urging the one end of the metal tubular braid over a conical shaping member,

continuously urging the metal tubular braid over the conical shaping member towards the base thereof and increasing the diameter of the tubular braid one end to a predetermined increased diameter,

reorientating the woven strands to form a first arcuate open weave with said metal wire strands having a plurality of first arcuate apertures of various sizes between said arcuate woven wire strands,

Welding the periphery of the tubular braid increased diameter end to fix the dimensions thereof,

forming a concave frusto-conical arcuate open tubular braid having a small diameter frusto-apex end, a large diameter base end, and a tubular concave surface of open woven arcuate strands interconnecting the frusto-apex end and the base end,

removing the concave tubular braid from the shaping member, moving the concave tubular braid frusto-apex and base ends towards each other until the apex and base ends are approximately in the same plane, and

reorientating the concave tubular braid arcuate woven wire strands to form a relatively flat annular braid having open arcuate woven metal wire strands defining therebetween a plurality of second arcuate apertures of various sizes. 11. A method of manufacturing arcuate woven metal wire strand furniture from a cylindrical metal tubular braid having beamed closed diamond weave metal wire strands comprising,

urging one end of the cylindrical metal tubular braid over the apex of a 45 conical shaping member, expanding the closed diamond weave metal wire strands adjacent the one end of said metal tubular wire braid to open the adjacent woven wire strands, welding together at one end of the tubular braid overlapping end junctions of the woven wire strands to prevent separation thereof, continuously urging the metal tubular braid one end over the conical shaping member towards the base thereof and increasing the diameter of the tubular braid one end to a predetermined increased diameter,

reorientating the woven strands to form a first arcuate open diamond weave with said metal wire strands forming a plurality of first arcuate diamond shaped apertures of various sizes therebetween,

welding a metal ring around the periphery of the tubular braid increased diameter end to fix the dimensions thereof,

fixing the dimensions of the tubular braid other end,

and forming a concave frusto-conical arcuate open tubular braid having a small diameter frusto-apex end, a large diameter base end, and a tubular concave surface of open woven arcuate strands interconnecting the frusto-apex end and the base end,

removing the concave tubular braid from the shaping member,

placing the concave braid around a cylindrical mandrel, urging the concave tubular braid frusto-apex end towards the concave tubular braid base end until the apex and base ends are in approximately the same plane, and

reorientating the concave tubular braid arcuate woven wire strands and forming a relatively flat annular braid having open arcuate diamond woven metal wire strands defining a plurality of second arcuate dia mond apertures therebetween.

12. A method of manufacturing an annular article from a frusto-conical open weave tubular braid having a small diameter frusto-apex end, a large diameter base end, and a side surface of open woven strands interconnecting the tubular braid frusto-apex and base ends, comprising,

moving the frusto-conical tubular braid frusto-apex end towards the concave tubular braid base end until the apex and base ends are in approximately the same plane, and

reorientating the woven strands and forming a relatively flat annular braid having open arcuate woven strands defining therebetween a plurality of arcuate apertures of various sizes. 13. A method of manufacturing an annular woven metal article from a frusto-conical open weave metal tubular braid having a fixed small diameter frusto-apex end, a fixed large diameter base end, and a conca e side surface of open woven metal Wire strands interconnecting the tubular braid frusto-apex and base ends, comprising: moving the concave tubular braid fixed apex and base ends towards each other until the apex and base ends are in approximately the same plane, and

reorientating the concave tubular braid woven wire strands to form a relatively flat annular braid having open arcuate woven metal wire strands defining therebetween a plurality of arcuate apertures of various sizes.

14. A method of manufacturing an annular arcuate metal wire strand woven article from a concave frustoconical open diamond weave tubular braid having a fixed small diameter frusto-apex end, a fixed large diameter base end, and a concave side surface of open diamond weave arcuate metal wire strands interconnecting the tubular braid frusto-apex and base ends, comprising:

pressing the concave tubular braid frusto-apex end towards the concave tubular braid base end until the apex and base ends are in approximately the same plane, and

reorientating the concave tubular braid arcuate woven wire strands to form a relatively flat annular article having open arcuate woven metal wire strands defining therebetween a plurality of second arcuate diamond apertures of various sizes.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,229,349 6/1917 Timberlake 248-127 1,474,401 11/1923 Bramley 248-127 1,590,135 6/1926 Upham 29-91.1 1,940,636 12/1933 Stubm'tz 29-9l.1 2,684,709 7/ 1954 Schawinsky 297-457 2,708,476 5/1955 Eames 297-457 2,755,079 7/ 1956 York et a1 29-419 X 2,845,699 8/1958 Woodard 29-419 3,156,040 11/ 1964 Drexhage 29-452 3,170,223 2/ 1965 Doerer 29-91.1

WHITMORE A. WILTZ, Primary Examiner.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Examiner. 

1. A METHOD OF MANUFACTURING WOVEN ARTICLES FROM A TUBULAR BRAID HAVING WOVEN STRANDS COMPRISING, ATTACHING TOGETHER AT ONE END OF THE TUBULAR BRAID OVERLAPPING END JUNCTIONS OF THE TUBULAR BRAID WOVEN STRANDS, INCREASING THE TUBULAR BRAID AT ONE END TO A PREDETERMINED INCREASED DIAMETER, FORMING A PLURALITY OF APERTURES OF VARIOUS SIZES BETWEEN SAID WOVEN STRANDS, ATTACHING A RING TO THE TUBULAR BRAID INCREASED DIAMETER END TO FIX THE DIMENSIONS OF SAID INCREASED DIAMETER END, FIXING THE DIMENSIONS OF THE TUBULAR BRAID AT THE OTHER END, AND FORMING A CONCAVE FRUSTO-CONICAL OPEN TUBULAR BRAID HAVING LARGE BASE FORMED BY THE TUBULAR BRAID INCREASED DIAMETER ONE END, A SMALL DIAMETER FRUSTOAPEX FORMED BY THE TUBULAR BRAID OTHER END, AND AN APERTURED WOVEN STRAND TUBULAR CONCAVE SURFACE INTERCONNECTING THE BASE AND APEX END. 